Most horses by nature want to have connection with us and do what we ask of them. When a horse doesn’t perform as expected, great equestrians know it is their job to ensure that the horse is capable of performing what they are asking for, that the horse has the right resources, and that their goals and expectations are clearly communicated in a language the horse understands. If the leader punishes the horse for not performing when it was their fault for not providing these 5 keys to performance, they get a horse looking to escape rather than perform. If the leader has successfully provided these, the horse is empowered to succeed. The result is a winning combination of connection and performance.
The same is true of people. Great leaders empower their teams by ensuring the team has the capability and resources they need, and then communicating goals, roles and expectations in a way their teams understand. Some of the best teams have strategic planning sessions where the entire team defines the goals, clarifies everyone’s role, and selects the measures of success at the beginning of the performance cycle, with periodic check-ins throughout the year.
We cannot give empowerment. People have to take it. In order to do that, they need capability, resources, and a clear understanding of goals, roles and expectations.
Is your team empowered to succeed?
